Bath, ME Municipal Resolution for Tax Reform

Type: Resolution

Status: Tabled on 2/2/04[[1]]

Source File: http://cityofbath.com/govdetail.asp?Gid=98&zsortdate=True&DepartmentID=4&articleID=724

Text:

Municipal Resolution for Tax Reform

Whereas over-reliance on property taxes to fund education and soaring real estate values have caused home owners' property taxes to increase disproportionately to other taxes in recent years; and

Whereas continued federal tax cuts are significantly diminishing aid to states and municipalities, putting further strain on property taxes; and

Whereas no Maine family, senior citizen, farmer, forester, fisherman or other Maine citizen should be forced to sell their home and land because of disproportionate use of property taxes; and

Whereas Maine has one of the narrowest sales tax bases in the country; and

Whereas the only responsible way to address these issues is through tax reform, not drastic cuts to essential state funding for health care, children and the environment; and

Whereas failure to provide Maine's citizens with meaningful property tax relief in 2004 will fuel efforts to pass a California-style tax cap at the polls that would dramatically reduce funding Maine's schools, public safety and community services;

Therefore be it resolved that the City of Bath calls upon the Maine Legislature and the Governor to modernize Maine's tax structure and promote tax fairness in 2004 in order to provide greater state aid to education, general property tax relief, and targeted tax relief for those who need it most.

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Note

The source file indicates the resolution was to be tabled until the next council meeting. However, there is no reference to it in the meeting minutes for the next two meetings. Consequently, it is unclear if the resolution was ever taken off the table.